Xzibit - Phenom

A blue moon, a total eclipse, the sighting of a black swan, all rare and noteworthy events. But the return of veteran emcee Xzibit to rap after four years spent pimping rides, acting and being the butt of countless “Yo Dawg” jokes? Now that is a Phenomenon you’d be lucky to glimpse once in a lifetime. With the release of the official lead single off his long-awaited MMX LP (due out later this year), X to the Z makes his comeback official. Here, the simmering synth arpeggios and strings of producer Rising Sun set a suitably street-ready mood as the artist informs us just how serious he is about once again taking over the game: “Move out the path of the lava, move in position to conquer / You have created a monster, wake up and crawl out the coffin…” Backing him up are two equally hard-bitten cohorts – fellow Left Coaster Kurupt and Texan emcee 40 Glocc jump on board to offer some moral support on the guest tip. Is this single, well, phenomenal enough to stir up the buzz Xzibit needs? If you think so, be sure to cop the download when it hits iTunes next Tuesday, May 25.